The role of fossil planktonic foraminifera as markers for biostratigraphical zonation and correlation underpins most drilling of marine sedimentary sequences and is key to hydrocarbon exploration. The first - and only - book to synthesise the whole biostratigraphic and geological usefulness of planktonic foraminifera, Biostratigraphic and Geological Significance of Planktonic Foraminifera unifies existing biostratigraphic schemes and provides an improved correlation reflecting regional biogeographies.Renowned micropaleontologist Marcelle K. Boudagher-Fadel presents a comprehensive analysis of existing data on fossil planktonic foraminifera genera and their phylogenetic evolution in time and space. This important text, now in its Second Edition, is in considerable demand and is now being republished by UCL Press.

Sixty-seven species of Paleocene planktonic foraminifera are described and illustrated, including three species of Eoglobigerina, four species of Parasubbotina, five species of Subbotina, two species of Hedbergella, 10 species of Globanomalina, six species of Acarinina, 12 species of Morozovella, three species of Igorina, four species of Praemurica, one species of Guembelitria, one species of Globoconusa, three species of Parvularugoglobigerina, two species of Woodringina, six species of Chiloguembelina, one species of Rectoguembelina, and four species of Zeauvigerina. Taxonomic classification of normal perforate taxa are organized according to wall texture. Spinose cancellate genera include Eoglobigerina, Parasubbotina, and Subbotina; cancellate nonspinose genera include Igorinina and Praemurica; smooth-walled genera include Hedbergella and Globanomalina; and muricate genera include Acarinina and Morozovella. Taxonomic classification of microperforate taxa (including Guembelitria, Globoconusa, Parvularugoglobigerina, Woodringina, Chiloguembelina, Rectoguembelina, and Zeauvigerina) are organized according to test morphology. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of type species described by Morozova in the collections of the Geological Institute, Academy of Sciences (GAN), Moscow, and the type material described by Subbotina in the collections of the All Union Petroleum Scientific Research Geological Prospecting Institute (VNIGRI), St. Petersburg, are shown on Plates 8-12. Twelve species described by Morozova, nine species described by Subbotina, and one species described by Bykova are illustrated. In addition, SEM images of 28 holotypes and two paratypes from the Smithsonian Institution collections are shown on Plates 13-17, and the lectotype for Globigerina compressa Plummer, 1926, and the neotype for Globorotalia monmouthensis Olsson, 1961, are designated and illustrated with SEM images. Paleobiogeographic maps showing the global distribution of 29 commonly occurring Paleocene taxa are included in the atlas, as well as figures showing the stratigraphic ranges of species by genus and stratigraphic first and last appearances. The biostratigraphic framework used in the atlas is the revised biostratigraphy given in Berggren et al., 1995, which is summarized in the atlas. Wall texture and morphological relationships between species and genera form the basis of phylogenetic interpretations. This is discussed in the section "Wall Texture, Classification, and Phylogeny" and is referenced to Plates 1-7.

An up-to-date atlas of an important fossil and living group, with the Natural History Museum. Deep-sea benthic foraminifera have played a central role in biostratigraphic, paleoecological, and paleoceanographical research for over a century. These single–celled marine protists are important because of their geographic ubiquity, distinction morphologies and rapid evolutionary rates, their abundance and diversity deep–sea sediments, and because of their utility as indicators of environmental conditions both at and below the sediment–water interface. In addition, stable isotopic data obtained from deep–sea benthic foraminiferal tests provide paleoceanographers with environmental information that is proving to be of major significance in studies of global climatic change. This work collects together, for the first time, new morphological descriptions, taxonomic placements, stratigraphic occurrence data, geographical distribution summaries, and palaeoecological information, along with state-of-the-art colour photomicrographs (most taken in reflected light, just as you would see them using light microscopy), of 300 common deep-sea benthic foraminifera species spanning the interval from Jurassic - Recent. This volume is intended as a reference and research resource for post-graduate students in micropalaeontology, geological professionals (stratigraphers, paleontologists, paleoecologists, palaeoceanographers), taxonomists, and evolutionary (paleo)biologists.

Most of our information about the evolution of Earth's ocean-climate system comes from the analysis of sediments laid down in the past. For example, the microfossil assemblage reflects the temperature, salinity and nutrient abundance of the water in which the organisms lived, while the chemical and isotopic composition of biogenic carbonates may be used to reconstruct past variations in the operation of the carbon cycle, as well as changes in ocean circulation. Nevertheless, understanding the link between these sediment variables (or 'proxies') and environmental conditions is not straightforward. This volume adopts a novel approach by bringing together palaeontologists, geochemists and palaeoceanographers, who contribute evidence that is required to better constrain these proxies. Topics include: (i) processes of biomineralization, and their effect on the chemical and isotopic composition of different organisms; (ii) proxy validation, including field, laboratory and theoretical studies; (iii) the links between modern and fossil organisms

The Late Eocene and the Eocene-Oligocene (E-O) transition mark the most profound oceanographic and climatic changes of the past 50 million years of Earth history, with cooling beginning in the middle Eocene and culminating in the major earliest Oligocene Oi-1 isotopic event. The Late Eocene is characterized by an accelerated global cooling, with a sharp temperature drop near the E-O boundary, and significant stepwise floral and faunal turnovers. These global climate changes are commonly attributed to the expansion of the Antarctic ice cap following its gradual isolation from other continental masses. However, multiple extraterrestrial bolide impacts, possibly related to a comet shower that lasted more than 2 million years, may have played an important role in deteriorating the global climate at that time. This book provides an up-to-date review of what happened on Earth at the end of the Eocene Epoch.

Foraminiferal Micropaleontology for Understanding Earth's History incorporates new findings on taxonomy, classification and biostratigraphy of foraminifera. Foraminifera offer the best geochemical proxies for paleoclimate and paleoenvironment interpretation. The study of foraminifera was promoted by oil exploration due to its exceptional use in subsurface stratigraphy. A rapid technological development in the past 20 years in the field of imaging microfossils and in geochemical microanalysis have added novel information about foraminifera. Foraminiferal Micropaleontology for Understanding Earth's History builds an understanding of biology, morphology and classification of foraminifera for its varied applications. In the past two decades, a phenomenal growth has occurred in geochemical proxies in shells of foraminifera, and as a result, crucial information about past climate of the earth is achieved. Foraminifera is the most extensively used marine microfossils in deep-time reconstruction of the earth history. Its key applications are in paleoenvironment and paleoclimate interpretation, paleoceanography, and biostratigraphy to continuously improve the Geologic Time Scale. - Provides an overview of the Earth history as witnessed and evidenced by foraminifera - Discusses a variety of geochemical proxies used in reconstruction of environment, climate and paleobiology of foraminifera - Presents a new insight into the morphology and classification of foraminifera by modern tools of x-ray microscopy, quantitative methods, and molecular research